V.I.Piggies ready to open it's doors to boarders!

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Teejay

Teejay

Adult Guinea Pig
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Oldbury, West Midlands
Ok......drum roll.....I am pleased to announce the grand opening of........V.I.Piggies! After much thinking (why do you think I'm awake at 1.20am zzz), and after some serious research, I have decided that my fledgling idea for a high quality guinea pig boarding service is a 'goer'!

Here's my earlier thread about it: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=68469

So, I have my cages.....I have my bedding......I have my hay......I have my insurance ready to go......my marketing flyers are almost ready to be distributed......I'm working on my owner's questionnaire and my booking system (it's the administrator in me!) and I have placed my first ever internet advert:
http://www.findpetboarding.com/smallpetboarding/profile/4825

Now all I need is my first boarders! I had one enquiry earlier on this evening, but it was from someone wanting me to board a rabbit :{

Any tips, hints, advice and warnings ;) are more than welcome!

Tracey x
 
I'm too far away to use you, but wish you the best of luck!
 
That sounds brilliant.
If you were near me I'd deffinatly use you (especially at that price).
Wishing you all the best with your new business venture, I'm sure it'll be very sucessful x
 
Hi all, thanks for the positive vibes! When I make a decision, I make a decision, LOL!

To Bailey, I'm just about to advertise on Gumtree and Preloved.....I've 'advertised' via my own status updates on Facebook, but I'm not sure how to set up a 'marketplace' page......any pointers, anyone? I'll have a mooch round FB later.

I'm planning to advertise in all of the local vets (I'll take the time to actually visit them, rather than just send flyers out), at the local Pets @ Home and any other pet shops that accept adverts, I might contact our nearest sanctuary (who I don't think offer boarding), and I'm planning to contact the two nearby RSPCA hospitals too see if they accept adverts. My hubby works for a massive local building company, and he's going to advertise on the staff notice boards and the company intranet, I'm spreading the word via friends. Oh, and I'll pop an advert in the correct section of this forum!

Can anyone think of anywhere else to advertise?

To doglovinpiggylover....I'll try my best not to get too attached :)) but I know it'll be a toughie!

Tracey
 
Teejay said:
To Bailey, I'm just about to advertise on Gumtree and Preloved.....I've 'advertised' via my own status updates on Facebook, but I'm not sure how to set up a 'marketplace' page......any pointers, anyone? I'll have a mooch round FB later.
Click to expand...

You should be able to do it here
http://www.facebook.com/advertising/?pages


Let me know when it's set up and I can add it to my Page's favourites
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Guinea-Pigs/13232011420

If you can't do it I can always do it and give you admin rights for it :)

Notice boards in supermarkets, news agents etc (if they're free)
 
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If you decide to get a website, you can make one easily at webs.com I will add a link to my website for you to advertise:))
 
Sounds absolutely grand. I love how it's all worded. It makes you sound professional and piggy savvy but very friendly and open.

You live too far away from me, sadly but if it means anything, if I lived closer, I would come to you.
 
what a lovely idea :<> i've been considering doing something like this myself, but i live in a council flat so i don't think the council would allow 8... good luck, hope it all goes well! x
 
Thanks everyone for the advice and words of encouragement! In between doing my proper day job, I've been listing my adverts....so far, it's on Vivastreet and Gumtree.

Fingers crossed it all takes off, otherwise I'll be ebaying a rather nice three-storey cage pretty soon, LOL!

Tracey
 
Id say get a website, if i was thinking of boarding my piggies i would like to see your set up so that you can get a feel for how things are so add lots of info and pics.

This may be better to set up after you have had some boarders as potential new clients will also want to look at previous customer testimonals/feedback.

Facebook and Twitter are great esp Facebook as you can put on lots of pics and info. Twitter i would suggest using once you have a website set up as again they would want to look at your testimonials and set up.

Best of luck.
 
What about asking all the local vets if you can display your flyers there.

Also can you only take pigs? or is it worth branching out into all small furries? as many people have rabbits and pigs.
 
If you are open by june IO may well have a boarder for you. Or two if Merry manages to boar date himself successfully soon...#
 
Hi Tracey,

If I ever get a holiday then I'll be coming to you for boarding. For weekends my family help out but for longer I'd prefer someone who knows what they're doing.

The only thing that I would say about your advert is that your full address is listed. I wouldn't list my address on the web, you can get spammed easily and not so nice people know where to find piggies that are very precious. Just something to bare in mind maybe.

A website would be good as you can show photos and have reviews etc etc. I used a very very simple web design programme called Namu 6 to make my company website, which is www.leisurevehicleservices.com It's super easy but because it's very basic it gets picked up by search engines easier and I'm on first page for nearly all my products.
If you want any help with this I'd be happy to do it for you.
 
To Fox'n'muffin - I'm using Petplan Sanctuary insurance. Petplan are great, no fuss and all of the vets trust them to pay up promptly....I used to use them when I had horses, and never had a problem. They were slightly more expensive than the other quotes I had, but you get what you pay for don't you?

Hi lindsay7, I'm looking into having a website......I had a very quick look at lily74's idea of webs.com - but I need to look at it a bit more closely later on.

Hi sport_billy, yup, vets are on my 'hit list'...lol!.....as are petshops, sanctuarys, rescues, local papers and anywhere else I can find that's free or very cheap! I really can't do bunnies.....I had bunnies myself until about 15 years ago, so I know how to care for them, but I developed a real allergy to their fur (I'm talking pretty much full on asthma-type attacks) so I had to rehome mine.

Hi MerryPip, we're open now (yay! :))) but we're actually away ourselves for a week in June, so assuming we're not away for the same weeks, we can definitely accommodate your lovely piggy(s)!

Thanks again everyone! Tracey x
 
Hi stephj, thanks for pointing out that I'd put my full address on the advert - I've removed the house number now. Thanks for the offer of help with building a website - I may well take you up on that!

I'll have a quick look later and see how tricky I think it is going to be! LOL!

Thanks again, Tracey x
 
The add looks great, well done you :)

Just a word of caution. I also do guinea and bunny boarding and in the last year I've had 7 piggies dumped. People seem genuine, leave a name, address and phone number...........none of which exist grrrr Make sure you get their car reg when the piggies are dropped off...........

Teresa xx
 
OMG, Teresa! That's terrible! Poor things......I can't believe people do that!

That's good to hear Claire, still waiting for my first booking (impatient, aren't I, LOL!)....and then it's all systems go, go, go! :))

Tracey x
 
I wish you lived closer.

I really need someone to take care of my two boars when I go on holiday but sadly you are too far from Hertfordshire.

Good luck with your business :)
 
Hi Julesie, it's a worry isn't it? We're on the lookout for somewhere for our own two piggies to stay when we're on holiday....and I tell you, it's slim pickings out there!

We've looked at 2 places so far, and neither of them really ticked all the boxed. We're looking at another place on Sunday, so fingers crossed.

If we can't find anywhere for our boys, it won't be an 'end of the world' problem, cos they'll just stay with my parents for the week; I know they'd be safe there, but I don't think my parents' idea of 'care' is the same as mine.....I think I'm too much of a perfectionist!

Good luck finding somewhere, Tracey x
 
I also do holiday boarding down in Kent and have experienced the so called pet lovers leaving animals for their hols never to be seen again!

For any new clients I ask for full settlement of their account on arrival, at least that way if they don't show up to collect you have some money to fund their piggies until you decide what to do with them. It doesn't happen very often, and all my regulars settle their accounts on their return, but when you don't know them it covers you a little bit.

I'm sure you will really enjoy your new venture (I know I love my job), I have met some lovely people and their pets over the five years I have offered pet boarding - don't think I will ever be financially rich doing this but certainly get a real buzz out of dealing with small furries.x)
 
Hiya Caviesgalore - I'm really looking forward to welcoming my first residents......but for now, I'm impatiently waiting! LOL!

That's a good tip about asking for payment up-front for new clients, I'll definitely follow your lead in that respect.

Thanks for your input! tracey x
 
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